Comments on: So Long, The Water Poet

By: Alan Racheter

Alan Racheter — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 06:15:57 +0000

For many years this building was Bardiger House, home to Bardiger Furriers.

By: Jane Manley

Jane Manley — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 19:44:32 +0000

I walked past the Water Poet today (August 2019) so sad to see all the hoardings and to see that half of Blossom Street had already gone. British Land were thwarted 40 years ago when they wanted to destroy half of Spitalfields. The likes of Dan Cruikshank and Denis Severe fought a battle that led to a large portion of Spitalfields being saved. Obviously a company who don’t like to take no for an answer. One things for sure, their buildings won’t last nearly as long as those they are replacing.

By: Adrian Glanvill

Adrian Glanvill — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:00:28 +0000

This is so sad. After 23 years working in the city a mere stone’s throw from the Water Poet I was planning to hold my leaving drinks in this wonderful old pub. Sadly this can no longer happen. 🙁

By: Georgina Briody

Georgina Briody — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 17:52:50 +0000

Further to my story regarding the purchase of the rocking horse from the Water Poet pub for my cousin, she has decided it must have a name and it looks like it is going to be Mr. Folgate!!

By: Georgina Briody

Georgina Briody — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 14:57:15 +0000

GA…..thank you for letting me know that the Water Poet pub was closing on the 29th March. So sad and depressing that our heritage is being destroyed by thoughtless, mindless politicians and developers.

In the past, I have taken friends from Australia and NZ to have drinks at the pub and they will be sad to know of its closure as are friends of mine here in the UK. However, my Suffolk cousin was also sad to know of its closure and, knowing how special the area is to me, she and her husband came down this week and we met one last time at the pub.

However, we did not know the contents of the pub was being sold off…..but as we sat down with our drinks, we had to give up the two lovely red chairs as the buyer was taking them there and then!! What a good idea we thought and wondered what we could buy as a special reminder of the day.

My cousin is pregnant and, as we looked up above the bar, there sitting in all its splendour was a wooden rocking horse. We all thought the same and so the little rocking horse was reserved for us. We could not take it that day but my husband went up early two days later and brought the horse home photographing its adventure from the pub, to train to home here – a pictorial account of its journey for my cousin to show her baby in years to come. Hopefully the little horse will become a family heirloom and reminder of that special day when, in years to come, the Water Poet’s existence will be lost in the annals of time.

On a lighter note, the horse’s journey home brought many a smile to commuters!!

By: P.Kehoe

P.Kehoe — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 07:58:59 +0000

So sad and depressing to see another lovely historic old pub going

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 16 Mar 2019 16:22:17 +0000

I also did not realise this work was going ahead. As someone who, a decade ago, used to work in the City and regularly visited the Water Poet due to considering it the best pub in the area, I find the closure of this unique pub a real shame. In more recent years my appreciation of the architecture and history of the area has grown significantly, and I find it extremely sad that this decision with such likely visual impact was made. Particularly baffled at how undemocratic the planning process seems to have been!

By: John Daltrey

John Daltrey — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 17:36:31 +0000

I feel completely saddened by this posting even though it was so fascinating as always. I did not realise that we had definitely lost the battle to save Spitalfields from this so ugly dreadful destruction in the name of development. There were perfectly inspirational alternatives to this.
Is there nothing we can do to stop the likes of British Land from ruining our wonderful city?

By: Debra Matheney

Debra Matheney — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 15:31:06 +0000

Sickening, Had a drink there before my tour of Denis Severs’ house. Thanks for explaining the origin of the name. One thing we can all count on is corporate greed.

By: Lynne Perrella

Lynne Perrella — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 13:23:24 +0000

Oh, drat! (a discouraged pounding of fist, on my computer table……) A misguided, short-sighted,
dare-I-say greedy “plan” is afoot here — all this hideous momentary architecture can never replace the magnificent history of London that you reveal to us every day.

Hurrah and huzzah to all the poets!